Origins
by evenintohell
Summary: BlogClan is a small, young clan. This story follows the lives of its first generation as they struggle to survive in their new surroundings.
1. Prologue

This is a story about BlogClan, which was set up by Kate Cary on her blog and carried over onto a roleplay site.

* * *

"Cakeheart, you were my deputy for many seasons and at last it is time for you to take my place, as is your right. I have watched over you since you were a kit, knowing your destiny would be to fill my pawsteps, and here you are. You have been a daughter, an apprentice, a mentor, a mother, and most importantly a clanmate. Now, you are a leader: I hail you by your new name, Cakestar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of BlogClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honour your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."

The russet cat struggled to her paws, looking straight into the eyes of BlogClan's former leader. She noticed that her predecessor looked youthful once more; his muscles rippled under glossy black and white fur as he moved, and there was a light she hadn't seen since her apprentice days shining in his eyes. Death seemed to have served him well.

"Thank you, Nightstar. I promise I won't let you down." Cakestar spoke with a newfound confidence, the exhilaration and pain of her nine lives still streaming through her veins. She could almost taste the love and protectiveness she felt for her clan, which had only been heightened by the ceremony.

"I know you won't," he replied with a chuckle. "Now go – you have some new apprentices to name, if I remember correctly. My old brain hadn't caved in completely before the greencough got to it."

She returned the smile, thinking of the kits back in BlogClan. Nightstar had been ready to name them shortly before his death, and she had wanted to wait until she received her name to perform the ceremony. She remembered clearly the looks on their faces as she had left: Hazelkit – her own son – had turned those turquoise eyes to her in a way he knew she couldn't refuse, before rushing off to play fight with the other kits in the nursery. The leader loved her son as much as any mother, if not more, but she couldn't deny that raising him had been hard. She had been forced to split her deputy duties to spend more time with him, and as a result she knew she often spoilt him. The sly little fox had already learnt how to use this against her. He would be a fearsome warrior someday.

"That's right," Cakestar said with a purr. "Hazelkit, Copperkit and Dawnkit have waited long enough." She glanced back at Foxberry, green eyes warm. The old medicine cat's practised gaze was trained upwards, unwavering as he watched the stars.

"Goodbye, Cakestar," Nightstar said softly, moving forwards to touch his nose to hers as she turned back to him. "And good luck. StarClan will be with you."

The new leader of BlogClan felt her body give way beneath her, the sheer exhaustion of the experience overwhelming her. The surroundings blurred in a haze of silver and black and all of a sudden she was falling… sinking into the mess of clouds below her.


	2. Chapter 1

"Come and play, Dawnkit!"

Gaudy, golden light streamed through the nursery entrance, tinted with the purple hue of the early morning sky. The pale grey bundle of fur looked up, green eyes bleary.

"But Copperkit, it's only just sunrise," she complained, stretching her jaws wide in a yawn.

"I know, but Cakeheart- I mean, Cakestar, should be back soon, and you know what that means!"

Dawnkit paused, staring at her brown-furred friend before her words finally sunk in. _Of course! _

"We're going to be apprentices!" A shiver of excitement ran down her spine, but she couldn't help feeling slightly worried at the same time. What if she didn't like her mentor? Worst of all, what if her mentor didn't like her? The probability of something going badly was much higher than she'd have liked.

"Hey, are you listening to me?" Copperkit flicked her tail impatiently.

"Oh! I'm sorry," she replied sheepishly, licking her chest fur a few times to cover her embarrassment.

"Well? Are you going to play or not?"

"Oh… no, I'll just watch you and Hazelkit," Dawnkit replied, feeling her pelt burn. She knew that the other kits would get annoyed with her if she tried to join in anyway; both Copperkit and Hazelkit were bigger than her, and stronger. They would make incredible warriors, she contemplated, whilst she was so much smaller and weaker. 'You have a hunter's body,' Snowbelly had said to comfort her, but Dawnkit knew her reaction time was too slow to be a good hunter. She sighed. Perhaps she would have to settle with being average after all.

She glanced across the nursery to where Copperkit had moved, noticing that the younger kits were starting to gather there too. She hung back a little awkwardly as Hazelkit bounced over to join them, tail waving about in the air. Dawnkit noticed how confident he was around them, and realised that his mother was their leader now. Lost in thought, she missed the moment when her two friends leapt at each other to cries of support from their spectators.

"Watch out!" there was a warning yowl and she was shoved aside by the mass of brown and white fur as they fought. She could barely see Hazelkit's legs moving as he released flurried swipes at his opponent's belly. Copperkit retaliated with a few well-aimed kicks to his side, and they fell apart for a few moments to circle each other before the whole dance started again.

"Guess wha- oh, for StarClan's sake," a voice sounded from the entrance of the nursery, and a warrior strode in. She grasped the tom by the scruff of the neck and lifted him away from Copperkit.

"Snowbelly!" One of the younger kits piped up, rushing over to jump up at her. The black and white she-cat sat down and dropped Hazelkit into a nearby nest.

"Cakestar's back, and you two look like a fox has had you! Honestly, what will she say? And where's Dawnkit?"

Dawnkit's ears pricked and she picked herself up from the floor. "I'm here. When is the ceremony?"

"At sunhigh. So we need to get you three tidied up," Snowbelly sighed. "Come here."

Hazelkit directed a panicked glance at Dawnkit, who giggled. The tom's fur was sticking out in all directions, giving him the distinct appearance of a pinecone, though his turquoise eyes betrayed his excitement. She reached out to nose down a stray piece of fur on his shoulder and was met with a muttered 'thanks'. Copperkit squealed beside her as she was subjected to a rough lick on the forehead, and struggled to hide her wince of sympathy. Snowbelly was renowned for her metaphorical sharp tongue, although she had a suspicion the phrase could be more literally applied as well.

"Right, now sit there and don't move a muscle until Cakestar calls you. Understand?" The warrior's voice was firm, and all three kits nodded obediently. Dawnkit groaned inwardly; sunhigh seemed like moons away! Surely if they didn't move until then, they'd all turn to stone.

* * *

At last the sun peaked in the sky, and the three kits were led to wait by the entrance of the nursery. One of the queens hovered over the three of them, darting her head down every now and then to flatten rebellious fur. Dawnkit stretched her neck to glance out into the centre of camp, but could see nothing.

"What's going on? Where's Cakestar?" Copperkit whispered. "Do you think-" she was cut off by a yowl as the dark red figure of their leader appeared from her den and leapt effortlessly up onto a large boulder.

"Let all BlogClan cats gather beneath the Largestone for a meeting!" Out of the corner of her eye Dawnkit could see Hazelkit straighten up, his tail twitching with excitement at his mother's words.

"Go on!" She felt herself being nosed forwards by the queen and stumbled out of the entrance, a little less gracefully than she would have liked. A crowd of cats was gathering before her, craning their necks to get a better look at their new leader.

"She looks so tired!" came a whisper from nearby. Hazelkit frowned, nudging Dawnkit to direct her around the rabble. She had no choice but to let him guide her towards the boulder where Cakestar stood, her long fur stirred by a passing breeze. The kit's mouth opened in awe. She looked so imposing, towering over all the other cats with the sun casting its rays down onto her. Did she really have nine lives now? That's what the other kits had said, and she certainly looked as strong and as dignified as nine cats.

"Clanmates," Cakestar began, amber eyes scanning the camp. "I returned from the Moonfall this morning. StarClan have granted me the nine lives of a leader." She paused again as the cats below her cheered and called her name. Dawnkit's eyes widened. _So it's true!_

"Before I name my deputy, there is an important thing I must do. Copperkit, Dawnkit and Hazelkit, come forward please."

Heart in her mouth, the kit approached. Her denmates joined her, both of them tense with excitement.

"You have all reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. Copperkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Copperpaw. I will be your mentor."

Copperpaw's eyes widened and she padded forwards, trancelike, to touch noses with the leader. Her name was called out by the clan, and Dawnkit contemplated how she had never looked so happy before. _Imagine having the leader as your mentor! I'd be terrified of messing up!_

Cakestar started to speak again once everyone was silent. "Dawnkit, you will be known as Dawnpaw, and Whitetiger will mentor you. Whitetiger, you have shown to be a loyal and strong warrior, and I hope you will pass on all you know to your apprentice."

_Whitetiger? Which one's he?_ Dawnpaw panicked momentarily before a black and grey tabby tom padded forwards, heading straight towards her. The apprentice clumsily touched her nose to his, heart racing as her new name was chanted. Her new mentor's eyes were bright, and he leant down to speak to her.

"We're going to make a great team."

"What are we going to do first?" she whispered back, tail tip twitching excitedly. Whitetiger's reply was drowned out by calls of 'Hazelpaw!' as the third kit went to greet his mentor, a jet black tom with amber eyes.

"And now to name my deputy," Cakestar announced once there was silence. "I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of BlogClan is Rockclaw."

There was cheering for the fifth time that day, and a large grey tabby approached the leader, dark eyes wide with amazement Dawnpaw thought briefly about how it must feel to be the deputy. It was a large responsibility, but probably very rewarding too. There was movement beside her – Whitetiger had stood up and was making his way over to congratulate Rockclaw. Soon enough the rest of the clan followed, and she was left sitting alone beneath the boulder.

The first rays of dusk were appearing on the horizon by the time the meeting was final concluded. Cakestar had returned to her den, evidently exhausted, and Dawnpaw watched Foxberry follow her. She was curious about the old medicine cat – he was always lost in thought whenever she saw him, and yet the whole clan wholly trusted him. It seemed a little strange that they relied so much on one cat, whilst the leader had her deputy and senior warriors to support her. Her mind wandered as she traipsed to the apprentices den, and she noticed with a smile that someone had already made up her nest. As she had suspected, Hazelpaw's scent drifted from the mass of moss. She settled down in it with a quiet sigh, resting her head across her paws and wrapping her tail comfortingly around herself. Her last thoughts before she sank into an uneasy sleep was of the nursery, and its warmth. She missed it already.


End file.
